Max Winger

the luxury of not being a politician.

Politicians are at the extreme end of influencers, where people follow, support, and vote for you based on how they feel about your policy positions.

Unlike most influencers, politicians' beliefs directly impact the world, and so they are analysed and criticised extensively.

One reason being a politician is hell is that it's a role where people expect you to have positions on everything, everywhere, all at once.

Thus, politicians are always lying, dodging, and giving half-answers precisely because they understand the trade-offs of being vocal about too many beliefs.

People process the speech of professionals differently than influencers.

This is because professionals trade in credibility and have to earn their way to the stage via their expertise.

This is a huge luxury.

Don't squander it.

As a professional, you can just say that's outside the realm of my expertise if faced with questions not pertinent to your work and people will respect you for it.

Conversely, if you step outside your domain, audiences know you're wasting their time and your lack of professionalism reflects poorly on you.

The funny thing is that politicians understand this very well and expect you to stick to your expertise even if you're trying to agree with their policy positions.

For example, look at how Bernie Sanders reacts to Geoffrey Hinton getting political.

There's a YouTube video here in the text.

Quote.

25 colon 13, Hinton, and if you want an example of how persuasion can impact the world.

If you want to invade the capital which is not far from here, all you need to be able to do is talk to people and you can get them to do it.

You don't have to go there yourself.

Long silence with some audience laughter, slow pan to Bernie.

Bernie!